You can throw many things at me, but please, don't chew at me!

I was at a client's new offices yesterday. The place is nice. Unlike their previous offices, we don't sweat our asses off in winter, and let's hope we won't be freezing them this summer. That alone is a BIG improvement.

Since I only visit them once (or twice) a month, I don't really have an office. There's a desk and computer assigned to me. In the past I shared that desk and PC with anybody visiting the office who was needing a place to log on. I had brought some things over, like a mouse pad, a few trays, a pen holder, you know things to make my life easier when I was there. People helped themselves; things disappeared. At the end, I didn't even have a chair. Every time I went in, I had to fetch a chair or a cable, or a mouse. It wasn't the best setup.

As you would suspect (at least you should, by now) I did let the person in charge about my unhappiness. I was told I would have a closed office, with my own desk and all at the new place. I wasn't holding my breath. I've been told many times about things which never really seem to happen, so this girl is skeptical to say the least.

Monday morning I showed up, laptop in briefcase (just in case) and ready to visit. It's big, all freshly renovated, and a bunch of new furniture. They show me my new space. Brand new filling cabinets, new desk and chair and another desk and chair. Change of plan: I'll be sharing the space with someone. Just before the Holidays they hired this guy in sales who actually started in January. I had seen him once before, quickly, to have him sign some documents. I'm sharing with him.  My name was tagged on the equipment, but New Guy made it his.  Ok then, good thing I brought my laptop.

For the last ten years I've been mostly working from home, alone, most days. Monday reminded me how it was when I used to work in Cubeville, argh. New Guy types on his keyboard, as if he's mad at it or something. You know the type, that hits each key really hard? I'm trying to decide if it's a good thing or not that he doesn't know how to type... he was typing one finger/hand, so he had no rhythm as such, which maybe was a good thing or a bad thing - the jury is still out on that one.

After lunch he had to change office for a while since there is no phone (yet) in our office (yay!) and he had to make calls. Later on in the afternoon he came back to file in his reports. He sat behind his screen (which will in fact be mine, after his is delivered)  and slowly typed away, while sipping his coffee which was a bit too hot for him so he had to slurp a little. After he drank it all, slooooowwlllyyyy he decided to chew gum AT me!  He chewed that gum for a good hour if not more. Damn you "Long Lasting Flavor"!

When he left I felt so releaved, there was quietness around me... well, sort of... Most of the walls are glass, so even behind closed doors we can hear everything, plus it is super echoe.  The receptionist complained to me about a manager always making calls with his door open, when it fact he had his door closed.  This should be fun!

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Image from flickr